


Kenny

by JuliaM (seshat0120)



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Gen, Magnificent Seven AU: ATF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-11 10:17:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19926463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seshat0120/pseuds/JuliaM
Summary: Ezra acquires a roommate.





	Kenny

**Author's Note:**

> This came about after a discussion about what kind of pets the guys would have on the Magnificent Seven Fic Corral FB group.

“Shh…” Buck hissed looking over at JD as he unlocked the door to Ezra’s apartment. “He might be sleeping.”

“If he is, he’s going to have to wake up to eat dinner,” JD pointed out as he hefted the brown bag he carried.

Three days ago, they’d completed their most recent case with only one slight mishap. While apprehending one of the gun runners they’d been after, Ezra had taken a wrong step at the top of a flight of stairs, tumbling most of the way down. He’d been their only casualty of the bust suffering a mild concussion, sprained ankle and two cracked ribs. After an overnight stay for observation, he’d been released from the hospital.

The combination of his injuries made it hard for him to get around but, Ezra being Ezra, he’d refused to stay with any of his friends insisting he’d be more comfortable in his own home and his own bed. He’d won the argument but that hadn’t stopped the others from stopping in to check up on him multiple times a day and making sure he had meals. Tonight, Buck and JD had the dinner shift.

Pushing the front door open, Buck took a step in. “Ezra,” he called out. “It’s me and JD. Don’t shoot.” He waited for a response. When he didn’t get one, he stepped further into the apartment with JD following behind. When he saw Ezra sprawled on the couch he came to an abrupt stop. “What the heck is that?” he asked in surprise.

“What?” JD stepped around Buck and looked at Ezra. “Uh…I think they call that a cat, Buck. I’d think you’d know that.”

“I know it’s a cat,” Buck said in exasperation. “But what’s it doing sitting on Ezra’s chest?”

JD stepped closer to the man and feline in question and bent down to get a closer look at the cat. Since there’d been no response from Ezra, he guessed the man had probably taken a painkiller recently and it had knocked him out. “I think they’re both slee…” he started to say when the cat took a swipe at him with its paw. “Hey,” JD exclaimed backing away quickly.

The movement of the cat on his body as well as JD’s exclamation were enough to finally wake Ezra. “Wha…” he mumbled as he blinked the sleep out of his eyes. He looked over to where Buck and JD were standing. “Buck? JD?” he asked groggily. “What time is it.”

“Nearly 6:30,” JD supplied. He held up the bag he still had. “We brought you dinner. We got those quesadillas you like from Inez.”

Buck moved closer to the couch and pointed at the small orange tabby that was still perched on Ezra’s chest and pointed at it. “Uh…what’s that?”

Ezra directed his gaze to the cat and scratched behind its ears. The purr that came from the cat sounded louder than its size. “Kenny,” Ezra answered simply. His eyes were still a bit glassy and he was acting slightly disconnected.

“And Kenny is…” Buck prompted. He knew from past experience that if Ezra had taken a painkiller he was likely to be a bit loopy for a while.

Ezra furrowed his brow in confusion as he looked up at Buck. “Kenny’s a cat,” he explained slowly. “I’d think that would be obvious.” He pushed himself up so he was sitting more upright. Unperturbed by the movement, Kenny settled in his lap.

“I get it’s a cat.” Buck looked between Ezra and JD in irritation. “What’s it doing here? I didn’t think you owned a cat.”

“I don’t,” Ezra responded through a yawn then rubbed his eyes. “We simply cohabitate together.”

“You cohabitate?” JD questioned unsure if he was understanding what Ezra meant. “What’s that mean?”

“We live together.” Ezra looked longingly at the bag that JD still held and sniffed slightly. “That smells delectable,” he hinted.

“Huh? Oh,” JD said taking Ezra’s hint. “Let me just get a plate for it. Be right back.”

Buck watched JD go to the kitchen then approached Ezra and the cat. He reached out to scratch behind Kenny’s ears but thought the better of it when a green-eyed glare – that didn’t come from Ezra – was turned his way. “So...uh...how long have you and Kenny cohabitated,” he settled for asking.

Ezra gave one more scratch to Kenny’s head then scooted the cat off his lap when JD came with his dinner. “I believe it’s been about two months, now.” He took the plate from JD then glanced down to where Kenny sat by the couch looking up at him with pleading eyes. With a sigh, he pulled a small piece of chicken from the quesadilla and tossed it down to the cat who eagerly lapped it up. “JD, there’s an open can of food for Kenny in the refrigerator. Would you mind putting it in the bowl on the floor.”

“Sure, Ezra,” JD agreed moving back to the kitchen. Almost as if knowing what JD was going to do, Kenny followed him into the kitchen.

“So, two months you’ve been...cohabitating...and you never said anything,” Buck prompted.

“I really didn’t see the need.” Ezra put a bit of the guesadilla in his mouth and chewed slowly. “She didn’t appear to have a domicile and I had a bit of extra place.” He waved his fork in the general direction of the kitchen. “It’s not like she takes up much space. I couldn’t leave the poor thing outside on her own in all kinds of inclement weather, could I?”

“You got adopted by a stray,” Buck started to laugh then stopped abruptly as he realized what Ezra had said. “Wait a minute. She? He’s a she and you call her Kenny.”

“Is there a problem with that? I could hardly continue calling her cat or hey you.” Ezra looked over as JD, followed by the cat, came back to the room. Kenny quickly leapt up on the couch making herself at home next to Ezra. “Kenny seemed to fit her, somehow, and she answered to it so...Kenny it is.”

“But that’s a boy’s name,” Buck argued.

“Uh, Buck,” JD interjected. “Wasn’t your last date named Charlie? That’s a boy’s name. There something you want to tell us,” he asked with a chuckle.

“Yes, Buck,” Ezra added as he raised his eyebrows. “Is there something you’d like to share with us.”

“Now, hey, wait a minute,” Buck sputtered. “Charlie is not man. She’s a woman.” He got a dreamy look on his face. “She’s just about the most gorgeous woman I’ve seen. She’s got these...”

“We get it, Buck,” JD interrupted before Buck could get much further with his description. “We don’t need you to paint the picture.”

“Well, just so you know,” Buck harrumphed. “So, how long were you planning on keeping Kenny here a secret,” he asked Ezra to take the attention away from himself.

“She’s no secret.” Ezra pulled out another small piece of chicken and hand fed it to Kenny. “She’s just never come up. Although, I’m sure you two gentlemen won’t waste much time informing the rest of our compatriots of Kenny’s existence.”

JD reached out to scratch behind Kenny’s ears and, this time, the cat let him. “I just think it’s so cool. I don’t think anyone ever would have thought you’d have a pet, Ezra.” As if to show her displeasure at being called a pet, Kenny swiped a paw in JD’s direction making him pull back.”

“As I said, we cohabitate. She’s neither my pet nor am I her owner. We share space. That’s all.” He handed the now empty plate back to JD. “I appreciate you gentlemen bringing over dinner. Please let Inez know it was delectable as always.” He slouched back down to lie on the couch once more and covered a yawn. “If you gentlemen wouldn’t mind, I took a pain pill shortly before you got here and I’m still quite tired.”

“Oh, no problem. I’ll just wash this and then we’ll be out of your way,” JD said gesturing with the empty dish.

“You need help to your room?” Buck asked as he watched Ezra settle more comfortably on the couch. Once he stopped moving, Kenny again settled on his chest.

“No, we’ll be fine here.” His hand came up and started stroking down the cat’s back. “I’ve become quite adept with the crutches and can make it up to my room when I’m ready to retire for the night but I appreciate the offer. If you’d just hand me the remote.”

“If you’re sure.” Buck grabbed the tv remote from where it was on the coffee table. When Ezra didn’t seem interested in stopping his petting of Kenny to take it, Buck put it on the couch beside him. He also took the throw from the back of the couch and shook it out, draping it over Ezra but careful not to cover Kenny. He noticed that Ezra’s eye lids were getting heavy and didn’t think he’d be awake much longer. “Stop fighting it, Hoss,” he said quietly and watched as, with a sigh, Ezra’s eyes closed and his hand stilled. This time, when he leaned over to scratch Kenny, she let him. “You keep an eye on him for us,” he admonished the cat who responded with a quiet “meow”.

As Buck was straightening up, JD came back into the room. “You need me to...” he started to say before Buck shushed him. “He sleeping again?” he asked softly.

“Yeah. Said he didn’t want to go to his room yet. Let’s go and let him sleep.”

The two men walked to the door. As they were about to leave JD stopped and turned around. “Just one thing,” he said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and called up the camera app. “The guys are never going to believe us without a little proof,” he said as he took a picture of Ezra sleeping with the cat curled up on his chest and his hand resting protectively on her back. With proof in hand, the two men quietly left the house leaving man and feline to their rest.


End file.
